Where to go:

From the Loop 101 & U.S. 60, head northwest on Grand Ave for 0.7 miles. Turn right onto 99th Ave. and follow it for 4.9 miles. Turn left onto Lake Pleasant Parkway. Follow this for 9.1 miles and then turn left onto AZ-74. Follow this west to Castle Hot Springs Road and turn right towards Lake Pleasant. Continue north for 1.1 miles. The road makes a long right turn, after which you’ll want to make a hard left on a dirt road at 33.846725, -112.323735. The trail heads west and drops into the Morgan City Wash. See the KMZ file above for more information.

Trail Description:

The trail immediately enters a wash and follows it west the entire time. Follow the main channel of the wash as it winds along the wash, passing high rock walls and occasional thick brushy sections. The trail follows the rocky wash until it reaches Bog Ranch off to the right at 3.9 miles. There used to be standing buildings on the site here but they have mostly collapsed over the years.

Still, it is a neat place to check out and explore what’s left at the ranch site. When you’re done at Bog Ranch, turn right to continue west along the trail. Stay right at 4.7 miles where a smaller wash goes left. The wash continues in a northwest direction and passes through a gate at 5.9 miles. The trail officially ends at a windmill and tank at 8.0 miles

Side trips:

Once you are at the “end” of the trail, that doesn’t mean your day is over. Several trails head south from the windmill. These are rougher but may connect with Boulders OHV Area just to the south. Going north, the road leaves the wash bottom and turns into Castle Hot Springs Road. From here, it heads northwest and connects to Castle Hot Springs Trail, Anderson Mill Trail, and Hellsgate Wilderness Area. So there are many ways to expand your day after completing this trail.

Notes & Trail Ratings:

This trail, to the windmill and tank and back is 16 miles round trip without taking any side trips. Allow for 1-2 hours to complete the main trail and explore Bog Ranch. Easily extend your day by exploring other trails in the area. The trail is rated ‘2’ because of the rocky wash and sometimes deep sand you have to navigate through. During rain, this trail can get quite tricky because it follows a drainage the entire time.